RUG/Pennsylvania/State College/Printers/PSU Fab@Home

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FAB@HOME LOGOPrototype.png



Progress

4/22/14:
After all the motors had been calibrated, wet extrusion was accomplished using water. Also, the accuracy of the extruder accuracy was tested by moving a pencil on paper that was placed on the bed. This will be a precursor to the Ecoli we plan to print in 2D onto cultures in the coming weeks as our first goal.

3/24/14:
Successfully moved the printer with RAMPS 1.4. Note: The printer movement should be set to 300 mm/min and use 1/8th step jumper settings.

2/24/14:
We are beginning to convert the Fab@home to RAMPS 1.4 with Marlin firmware (due to its dual endstop support). The updated version of the Fab@home will be referred to by 'V2'. See Projects for details.

4/29/2012:
Fab@home is now fully operational in all axes. The next step in its developement will now be to undergo print testing, or alternatively, convert the electronics to RAMPS_1.4 with Marlin Firmware now that all electrical components have been confirmed opperational.

2011:
Pennsylvania State University (PSU) Fab@home is in operational mode and continue to be in diagnostic form. Within next week, we have an idea how to approaching for the future project.

Printer Status

Operating Specifications
Name Status Design Electronics Firmware Extruder Temperature Comments
Fab@Home Purple In Progress Fab@home LPC-H2148 Microcontroller Model 4 Syringe - -
Fab@Home V2 Purple In-Motion Fab@home RAMPS_1.4 Marlin TBD - -

PSU Fab@Home - Current Condition


Electronics

We were fortune enough to have all the working electronic kits and installed as instructed. Microcontroller for Fab@home model 1:Microcontroller Olimex Philip LPC-H2148 (under ARM) Apparently, we are missing the JTAG cord which is important for flashing the microcontroller. I believe we are specifically looking for OpenOCD with firmware v4. However, the board were flash for firmware v3. Firmware module

Connection Notes:

Fab@HomeElectronicsRight.JPG

Fab@HomeElectronics Endstops.JPG

See here for more details.

Software

Currently, PSU Fab@home is using Fab@home v.23 made by cornell university and [email protected]


A Fab@home Toolchain.
Fab@home Toolchain.

Fab@home Software: Necessary for operation in stock form.

  • FabStudio: Slicing software that generates .fab files.
  • FabInterpreter: Printer control software. Only capable of printing with .fab files.
  • svg2fab v2.0: Useful for producing 2D .Fab files for toolheads such as vinyl or foam cutters.
  • Fab2GCode: Converts .fab files to .gcode files.




Current Build/Testing

4/22/14"
After correcting the associated wiring/programming, adjusting the axes slightly, and lubricating all major contact points, the bed and extruder move as desired.

Printable Materials

Currently we have Acrylic Winsor Blue available for part to print. More to come on order and check out vendors for harware and material

MATERIAL TYPES
LINKS
Ultraviolet Curing Materials
Koba UVG-1
Edible Materials
Chocolate, Frosting
Conductive Materials
SS-26 Silver-filled Silicon
Thermosets
FabEpoxy, Silicon


Tools

Syringe Extrusion

Vinyl Cutting Tool

V2 Build Notes

The majority of the initial PSU Fab@home build was completed by original owner, before it donated by after prolonged difficulties regarding its operational status. An initial attempt was made to get the Fab@Home to an operational state in 2011, but this only resulted in the movement of several axes.

Having decided to reinvestigate the printer in spring 2012, we were able to drive all axes after much trouble shooting. Problems that were fixed included incorrect wiring from X-axis stepper motor to microcontroller board, a faulty 24V power supply (carefully switched to a 12V for testing purposes), disconnection of endstop ground connections, a missing endstop pullup resistor on the microcontroller, and loose pin to endstop connections.

The only problem that still exists a driver error when the power supply is disconnected before the USB. No advancements were made in the course of our trouble shooting, but this problem seems to be avoidable. Students found that one must simply be careful of the order when disconnecting these cords, and if mistakes are made, a simple restart is all that is necessary to have printer back in working order.

Diagnostic Notes


PROBLEM
SOLUTION
All but 1 endstop reading zero and randomly flucating between 0 and 1.
Missing pullup resistor on microcontroller.
Motors becoming overly hot.
Adjusted the potentiometers so the motors
had just enough power to drive the
axis and run the extruder.
Firmware connection problem.
1. Restart computer. Will happen when unplugging power supply before USB.
2. Reload drivers in computer/properties/hardware/com
Y-axis refusing to drive.
1. Check Y-axis alignment
2. Check Y-axis potientiometer
3. Reduce belt tightness.
Significant backlash in lead screws.
Move nut on the end of the lead screw tighter against plexi.


Projects

Extrusion

  • Utilize syinge extrusion tool (cholocate, silicon, UV material)
  • Develope and print L-bracket carriage adapter for Wade's Extruder. This would allow PSU RUG to utilize the machine's precision linear movement for prints requiring higher tolerances.

Related Media Timeline

2012

July 1; Penn Researchers Improve Living Tissues With 3D Printed Vascular Networks Made From Sugar" 1 Summary: Recent advances in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine could one day make a replacement liver from a patient’s own cells, and UPenn researchers have developed 3D printed templates of filament networks that can be used to rapidly create vasculature (and therefore improve the function of engineered living tissues).

2013

February 22; Cornell University Bioprints a Functional Ear 2 Summary: Dr. Jason Spector and Dr. Lawrence J. Bonassar have developed a bioprinting process that uses living material to create a structure that not only remains alive after being implanted, but also becomes another functional biological part of the human body. This bioprinting process starts with a 3D scan of the inner ear to generate a 3D mold, which animal-derived collagen cells are added to act as a scaffold for the cartilage to grow on.

December 11; Bioprinters Revolutionize 3D Printing 6 Summary: This article discusses recent advancements in 3D printing cells, and were able to print fluorescent E. coli cells in the shape of the BioCurious logo. This printing of E. coli cells has been an initial project considered to implement with the Fab@Home printer the team has been working on.

2014

February 5; Printing Skin Cells on Burn Wounds 3 Summary: In an effort to develop skin cells to help heal burns instead of harvesting from other parts of the patient, Wake Forest Institute of Regenerative Medicine scientists have built build a printer designed to print cells onto burn wounds. Further development of this project involving a type of stem cell found in amniotic fluid and placenta (afterbirth) could result in added effectiveness in healing wounds.

February 19; Harvard Engineers 3D 'Bioprint' Layered Tissue with Blood Vessel Networks 4 Summary: Through experimentation of bioprinting techniques, tissue engineers took a major step towards creating 3D printable living tissue by constructing multiple types of cells and tiny blood vessels, with the goal of creating human tissue constructs realistic enough to test both the effectiveness and safety of new drugs.

March 3; 3D Printing Creates Implantable Heart Device 5 Summary: Biomedical engineers at Washington University have developed a implantable device that can be custom fitted and embedded sensors that have the capabilities of treating cardiac disorders. A plastic substitute (3D elastic membrane made of flexible silicon) was developed for the epicardium,and has sensors to gauge stress, pH, temperature, and mechanical strain to deliver a pulse of electricity in cases of arrhythmia.

April 9; 3D Bioprinting Market, 2014 – 203 7 Summary: Many industries have already benefitted from multiple advancements in the field of 3D Bioprinting, resulting in improved and more efficient processes worldwide. The report states that 3D bioprinting is gradually emerging as an area that is garnering attention from a lot of academicians, and has tremendous potential in the marketplace in the coming years.

April 10; The 3D printed HEART: Scientists could soon build replacement organs using a patient's own cells 8 Summary: Scientists from the Cardiovascular Innovation Institute in Louisville, KY, have the potential to able to print parts of hearts including blood vessels. The organ could be created in just three to five years time and be transplanted in a human within the next decade, with the main hurdle of keeping manufactured tissue alive after it is printed.

April 10; Navy eyes 3D printing in future 9 Summary: There is interest in the Navy to get 3D printing technology onto ships to have the ability to print anything from bolts, to organs for injured soldiers, and even components of drones. There will need to be special considerations for things as fine as organs to account for the pitch, the roll, and yaw of a ship, but the Navy is very interested in implementing this technology in their fleet.

Reference